Giving Credit Where Credit is Due

February 23, 2007

I’ve always worked in a company with more than 10,000 employees. When you work for a large company with ambitious people who dress like Gap commercials, you get a *de facto* segregation based on rank (analyst, senior, manager, etc..). You stick with your rank and make friends.

I remember when I started my first job out of college, my supervisor asked me to work on something that required skills beyond what I had learned in school. You know, skills like answering multiple choice questions, writing a paper with a strong thesis, or solving an algebra problem. Thus I turned to someone in my rank to help. At first she said “yes“, but after a moment of thought, she quickly said:

“Oh wait I won’t get any credit for this, so no”

The ironic thing is that she was giving me a ride home that night so we had to stay until I had finished.

Looking back I am thinking how sad that she refused to help me, as it would have not only helped the client but also her relationship with me… and not to mention getting home faster. And, I would have been incredibly indebted to her, spreading the news about how helpful she was.

This was my first experience with office politics. I quickly learned that switching jobs does not help you avoid them — political struggles can be found at any large organization. Navigating office politics can be frustrating and stressful for anyone, as it feels like you are more of a victim and casualty. Oftentimes it’s based on perceptions and impressions that are a bit out of your control. This was incredibly frustrating for me to have my career and see my co-workers’ careers dictated by the whims of others. Thus out of frustration and a desire to help, Worksona was born.

To me, Worksona is a place where I can have a voice and more influence in my career at a large organization. I am no longer a cog in a machine or a victim of office politics. My hope is that Worksona will be a place of empowerment for people in Corporate America. I look forward to this journey with you all!